Samsung Continuum Confirmed

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Tonight Samsung confirmed details about their newest phone, the Samsung Continuum. The device will feature a 3.4 inch screen, as well as a 1.8 inch ticker. The ticker is expected to show info about phone calls and information from your "favorite data sources"

The Samsung Continuum is part of Samsung's Galaxy S line of phones. It will be offered on the Verizon network and will go on sale November 11th for $199 with a two year agreement. As a Samsung Galaxy S phone, you can expect it to obtain the same version of Android as the rest of the Galaxy S line.

Samsung Continuum May Have 2nd display

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According to a recent report, a new Samsung Galaxy S phone is on its way to Verizon, dubbed the Samsung Continuum. What is particularly interesting about this device is that in addition to the standard display, the Samsung Continuum will have a small secondary display. This display will be located beneath the main display and buttons, and will likely be used for scrolling information typically provided by widgets such as weather, feeds, and the time.

From what is known about this phone, it is expected to be a standard Galaxy S phone, including a 5 megapixel camera, a 4 inch screen, Android OS, and a 1Ghz processor. Being on Verizon, it is expected to have Bing as the default search engine as opposed to Google.

There has been no pricing information or release date details released, but it is expected that we could perhaps hear more information very soon.

No Verizon iPhone?

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Despite very reliable information earlier this regarding the iPhone 4 going to Verizon, it appears talks between Apple and Verizon have stalled due to the prominence of Verizon's Android line. According to the report, Verizon has been very reluctant to come to a final agreement, as Apple wants to have the iPhone as the phone with all the focus on it for the carrier. The stronger the Android platform performs, the less likely Verizon is going to want to sacrifice it to obtain the iPhone.

It appears that both sides are unwilling to give in, so we may not be seeing an iPhone quite yet. If talks fail with Verizon, look for T-Mobile or Sprint to begin talks with Apple. With the Verizon iPhone almost certain earlier this week, it is disappointing that they have not yet resolved their dispute.

Keep a look out for new stories on the iPhone, I will be keeping very close tabs on this one, as it would be really big news if we get an iPhone on a new carrier.

Confirmed: iPhone coming to Verizon

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Today, Apple suppliers have released information confirming a CDMA iPhone is coming, with information suggesting that Apple will begin manufacturing the devices in December. Apple is expected to make 3 million devices during the month in order to support a early 2011 launch. Although both Verizon and Sprint use CDMA networks, it is pretty apparent that it will be Verizon receiving the iPhone, as they have the largest network and many rumors had already suggested that the iPhone would go to Verizon.

At this point in time, it is unclear whether there will be an specification changes to the new iPhone, but one could expect the antenna issue to be fixed. There are not many more details known, but it will be interesting to see how Android phones fare with this news. Now finally people will be able to enjoy an iPhone on a network other than AT&T, and who knows, maybe we will end up with an even better iPhone.

Android 2.2 Froyo Finally on Droid X

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Finally, as many have been waiting for, the Android 2.2 upgrade has been made available for the Motorola Droid X today. This update has been delayed several times by Verizon, and is just now being released, despite the fact that many other phones received the update a while ago.

Currently, the update is being pushed out it waves, but if you would like to download it today, it is easily possible. Droid X users can "pull" the update by pressing "Menu" > "Settings" > "About Phone" > "System Updates." 


For those who don't know, the benefits of Android 2.2 (Froyo) is that allows for faster performance, support of Adobe Flash 10.1, USB tethering, and other minor enhancements. However, Android 2.2 is entering the last portion of its build cycle, as Gingerbread (Android 3.0) is expected to be released sometime this fall. Only the Samsung Galaxy S phones are still scheduled to receive the update to Froyo.

Hopefully, the Droid X will get the next update in a more timely fashion.

MetroPCS and Samsung Release the First LTE phone

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Today, MetroPCS revealed that they would hold their promise to be the first to offer LTE services by releasing the Samsung Craft, the first LTE enabled phone. An interesting note about this launch is that Samsung actually provided the LTE infrastructure, and it is only avaliable in Las Vegas, NV. Omar Khan, chief strategy officer for Samsung Mobile, stated the following in the press release:

“It is extremely gratifying to introduce the Samsung Craft as the world’s first commercially available LTE-enabled handset operating on infrastructure by Samsung as part of the first LTE commercial network and services to be offered in the U.S. The Craft combines 4G speed and a multimedia device packed with full Web, entertainment and productivity features.”

Don't get to excited about this news though. This is not an Android phone as many would have hoped. In fact, its just a BREW-based feature phone. The phone does have a number of decent specs though, with a 3.3 inch AMOLED touchscreen, sliding QWERTY keyboard, WiFi, GPS, Bluetooth, 3.2 megapixel camera, and a microSD card slot (comes with a 2GB card).

The Samsung Craft is avaliable in the Las Vegas area in stores and online for a price of $299 after a $50 instant rebate. However, coverage is restricted to just Las Vegas, and good luck getting any 3G services outside of Dallas and Detroit. However, MetroPCS does say that more LTE covered areas are coming soon, including San Francisco, Los Angeles, Boston, Dallas, and more.

This exciting news for LTE, as now we finally have a supported device. However, with MetroPCS's coverage, I think I would rather wait until Verizon rolls out their LTE service in the next few months.

AT&T to Roll Out LTE mid-2011

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Following Verizon's announcement, stating that they would be rolling out LTE to 30 cities by the end of 2010, AT&T announced that they are working on their LTE network, and expect it to roll out by mid-2011. That said, don't expect AT&T to be nearly as quick as Verizon in rolling out their network, as they have plans to upgrade their HSPA (3G) network to HSPA+ (3.5G) by the end of the year.

Many people would be happy if AT&T would stick to improving their 3G network though, as it has been a major problem for AT&T in terms of reliability. Even iPhone users complained that their biggest problem was AT&T's spotty network.

AT&T is continually working to improve the network, but how long, if they will ever, will it take for them to catch up to everyone else?

*Note: I apologize to anyone who is offended by the AT&T image above, but you have to admit, its pretty funny in light of AT&T's network troubles.

Verizon to Roll Out LTE Network in 30 Cities in 2010

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Verizon has announced that they will be rolling out their LTE (4G technology) network in 30 cities by the end of the year. To give you an idea of where the service will initially be rolling out, Verizon has said the 30 cities will be   "National Football League Cities". This would be a surprise to those in large cities such as New York and San Francisco, as they typically are skipped in the initial roll out new services, to avoid too much congestion at start up and allow for time to make sure that they network is operating smoothly.

Speeds for Verizon's new LTE network are 5-12 Mbps downstream and 2-5 Mbps upstream. These speeds are significantly higher than current 3G capabilities, in which Verizon is capable of producing less than 2 Mbps downstream. That means that we will see significant differences in the ability of Verizon's network to run quickly.

This all makes the rumor of a Verizon iPhone, expected in Q1 2011, much more interesting. When and if it comes, will if be capable of the 4G speeds of the LTE network?

Samsung Galaxy Tab to Come to 3 of 4 Major Carriers

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The Samsung Galaxy Tab, the tablet based on Samsung's Galaxy S smartphones and the first real competitor for the iPad, is now just a few weeks away and is expected to be released on 3 of the 4 major U.S. carriers. Sprint, AT&T, and Verizon have all reportedly reached deals with Samsung to carry the device, leaving T-Mobile the odd one out.

Samsung is expected to unveil the tablet in the U.S. September 16th in New York City.

The Galaxy Tab is expected to a smaller device than the iPad at 7 inches (the iPad is 9.7 inches), but functionality wise it will be a more capable device. The Galaxy Tab will have run Froyo 2.2, have both front and rear cameras, as well as have the ability to function as a phone. An additional feature the iPad is missing that the Galaxy Tab has is full Adobe Flash support (although with Apple's loosening of App Store restrictions, this could change).

Altogether, the Galaxy Tab is a worthy competitor for the iPad. The question remains is will the average user prefer the larger screen and for user friendly OS of the Apple iPad, or will users prefer the flexibility of Android and the ability to video conference and make phone calls.

HTC Droid Incredible Battery Life Problems After Update

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As Verizon pushes out the update to Android 2.2 (Froyo) to the Droid Incredible, it appears that the process is not going very smoothly. There have been reports that battery life on the device has been affected considerably after the update for some users. There are also a few reports that the update deletes some apps as well as some contacts. The severity of these problems are unknown, and it is unclear how widespread they are.

HTC nor Verizon has commented on this development. Hopefully Verizon and HTC will work together when receiving this feedback and correct any potential problems with the update. As for now, Incredible users will update at their own risk.

If you have experienced any issues with the update, feel free to leave a comment below.

T-Mobile to Get iPhone 3GS?

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According to a recent tweet by Wired magazine editor Chris Anderson, T-Mobile is slated to get the iPhone 3GS this year. The tweet follows:

A T-Mobile manager casually mentioned to me that they're going to get the iPhone 3GS (but not 4, oddly) later this year. Common knowledge?

It may not be common knowledge, but the rumor that the iPhone would come to T-Mobile has floated around, as it would be easier to shift the iPhone to another GSM carrier as opposed to a CDMA one (such as Verizon, in which a rumor suggest the iPhone will come to them Q1 2011).


However, there are a few things that make this piece suspicious, despite coming from a usually reliable source.
-Why just the 3GS, and not the iPhone 4?
-Why was the information just tweeted, and not written up in a formal article by Wired?
-Why not ask your own coworkers if its common knowledge?

While the speculation of the iPhone coming to T-Mobile has been floating around lately, it has always been the rumors that the iPhone was coming to Verizon that has been the strongest. Is this just another rumor? Or is it possible that we could finally be seeing the iPhone coming to more carriers as soon as this year? Only time will tell.

Dual Mode HTC phone likely headed to Verizon

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A new HTC slider phone has hit the FCC, and has created quite a buzz around it. The reason for the buzz is that the device is a dual mode cdma/gsm phone, something very rare in phones. The benefit to having this in a phone is that it makes it easier for people travel and take their phone with them.

The phone appeared with the Verizon labeling and a slide out qwerty keyboard, with little known about its under the hood specifications. It is known however that the device has a 4 inch screen, and meets the rumored specifications for Android 3.0.


This is expected to be yet another solid phone from HTC, but are consumers going to get tired of the 4+ inch designs on every phone?

Droid to get Android 2.2 in the next week

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According to verizon's website, the Motorola Droid will be updated to Android 2.2 within the next week. This will make the 3rd device with the updated operating system, behind the Nexus One and the Evo 4G. Unfortunately for Droid X users, Verizon is still being vague, stating that Froyo will be available sometime late this summer.

Note: I apologize if the posts over the next few days are short, as I am getting my laptop repaired and am having to make posts on my phone.

Smartphone Showdown: Apple iPhone 4 vs HTC Evo 4g vs Motorola Droid X vs HTC Droid Incredible

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This year has truly become the summer to buy a smartphone. So many great choices, but which one to get? Lets break it down in a summary here:

Apple iPhone 4 (AT&T): Ah, the ever so popular iPhone. This year, the iPhone has a bit more competition than in the past. The iPhone 4 comes in either 16gb or 32gb (not expandable), 5 megapixel camera, VGA front facing camera, and an impressive 3.5 inch retina display. The iPhone runs iOS4, and has access to Apple's App Store. The iPhone is powered by Apple's A4 processor (unknown clock speed, reports say 1ghz).

*There are reports of signal issues if held a certain way. Apple is giving away free bumpers to help issue.

HTC Evo 4G (Sprint): This amazing device has a spec sheet to dream of. The only phone on this list that can run on a 4G network, which makes its mobile hotspot feature (in which you can connect up to 8 devices) very useful and effective. It also sports a 8 megapixel rear facing camera, as well as a 1.3 megapixel front facing camera (useful for video conferencing). This device also has a 4.3 inch screen, and a speedy 1ghz Snapdragon processor. This phone runs Android 2.1 with HTC Sense. Other notable features include an HDMI port and a kickstand. It comes with 1gb internal memory, and an 8gb micro sd card (expandable up to 32gb).

*Many users report poor battery life, over the air update may have partially/fully fixed this.

Motorola Droid X (Verizon): This smartphone is very similiar to the Evo, with a few differences. To begin with, it has a 4.3 inch screen, just like that Evo, but it is thinner and taller (screen size is measured diagonally). The Droid X also has an 8 megalpixel camera, but no front facing camera. This phone features a 1ghz ARMv7 processor. This phone also runs Android 2.1 with Motorblur. The Motoblur software has been greatly improved, but HTC Sense is still superior. The Droid also supports a mobile hotspot feature for up to 5 devices. This device also includes an HDMI port. This phone comes with 8gb of internal memory and a 16gb micro sd card (expandable up to 32gb).

*Reports say it cannot be modified, hackers and power users will not like this.

HTC Droid Incredible (Verizon): This speedy phone has a 1ghz Snapdragon processor, an 8 megapixel camera, 3.7 inch screen, and has 8gb of internal memory, with a micro sd slot that supports cards up to 32gb. This smartphone runs Android 2.1 with HTC Sense. An overall impressive phone.

Conclusion:

Best Smartphone: HTC Evo 4G

2nd place: Apple iPhone 4

3rd place: Motorola Droid X

4th place: HTC Droid Incredible

In my comparison, the winner is the HTC Evo 4G. However all of these phones are great phones, and it really is up to personal preference. For some users, the Evo's lack of battery life (most likely will last 1 day at most) will make the phone impractical. However, with Apple's signal issues, and the lack of a front facing camera on the Droid X and Incredible, I feel confident that the Evo 4G is currently the best phone on the market. Please, let me know what you think!

Good luck getting your hands on any of these!

Verizon's Droid X newest smartphone to experience low supplies

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Verizon's newest addition to their lineup, the Motorola Droid X, is nearly sold out in some regions after the first day of sales, with the next available shipping date online July 23rd. However, the Droid X is currently faring better than competitors such as the HTC Evo 4G (Sprint), as the Droid X is still available to be shipped. Demand was expected to be high with this device, especially with the shortages with the Evo and with issues plaguing the Apple iPhone 4. Verizon has been doing its best to handle the demand, and has avoided any shortages caused by suppliers thus far.


As Verizon's newest addition to the Android family, the Droid X will one of this summers elite "superphones" and will continue to be talked about in the months to come as consumers try to get their hands on this exciting new smartphone.